Cash aid to Taliban families; Meshrano Jirga demands probe

KABUL: The Meshrano Jirga or Senate on Tuesday session expressed concern over cash donation to families of the slain Taliban fighters in northern Kunduz province. They asked the government to immediately kick of investigation in the issue.

This comes as on Monday Kunduz Governor Asadulalh Omarkhel in a video message had said up to 60 family members of dead Taliban hand demanded cash assistance from him and the aid was given.

A lawmaker from Kunduz, Abdullah Qarleq, said a delegation with 50 million Afghanis in cash aid had been dispatched to Kunduz to distribute it among the conflict-affected people. “But the delegation returned with 16 million Afghanis back to Kabul,” he said, warning against irregularities in distribution of the cash among victims.

“Distribution of money among families of dead Taliban would create districts between the government and security forces.”

Such views is very much concerning, another senator, Lailuma Ahmadi, said, asking members of Meshrano Jirga to seek explanation from official over the issue.

The issue is needed further investigation, Senate Chairman, Fazal Hadi Muslimyar said, asking lawmakers to restrain from any sort of decision until all aspects of the matter were probed

He called on the house defense commission to pay a visit to the province and coordinate issue with local representatives, and present their report to the house.

However, this move has created a large scale of hue and cry that why government don’t support the families of the slain Afghan security forces instead of Taliban insurgents.

A former military officer, Atiqullah Amarkhail, said, “the one who has provided the money must be held accountable.”

The Afghan government pays 100,000 Afs to the families of the fallen soldiers. However these families struggle to get the money, and take several days to receive it. But the question before the people is how does the Taliban insurgents get access to the money despite them being in an armed struggle against the people and the security forces.

Moreover, when Pajhwok Afghan News contacted, the spokesman for Kunduz governor, Syed Mahmood Danish, rejected if the governor had given cash aid to families of the Taliban.

He said the central government had sent only four million afghanis to the governor’s house at the request of the residents of Pul-i-Kandahari area.

He said the aid had been distributed the families. However, he did not say who the families were.